Public corruption exists in Oregon. It does so at the local, county, and state level. However, in 2005, few examples of corruption at the hands of organized crime were uncovered by Oregon law enforcement. This may be a reflection of the lack of resources devoted to the investigation of organized crime and public offical malfeasance, or it may indeed be an indication that Oregon, unlike some other states (NEW JERSEY!), does not suffer from widespread and significant public corruption.

Ok...I added the bit about New Jersey.

There may be public corruption related to organized crime (or unrelated to organized crime) in Oregon. But nobody's looking, so we must assume public officials are as clean as the wind driven snow.

"""Public corruption exists in Oregon. It does so at the local, county and state level. However, in 2005, few examples of corruption at the hands of organized crime were uncovered by Oregon
law enforcement"""

I'm shocked! Both at the notion there is organized public crime and that law enforcement hasn't uncoverted much.

Of course if no one is assigned to look into UR developmet, I mean corruption,
how could anything be uncovered?

Hell, we can't even get a real project budget from the PDC. You know, an updated one with all monies spent and all anticipated exepnditures and revenues.

"Uncovering" would be as simple as it gets.

Maybe someone in law enforcement or a journalist should get off their ass and get the basic data?

Maybe the problem under the "Public Corruption" headline is that not enough of us, who know the facts on suspected public corruption, are not filing legitimate claims of such. Of course, we should expect and demand our State Attorney General and his/her office to put more effort into this issue, and seek it out without citizens having to take the fallout and expense of such actions.

I feel that in the remaining month of campaigning, especially in the governors race, that "public corruption" should become a major issue. As I have posted before, Urban Renewal and its misuse should be one of the first places to investigate.

There has recently (and in the past) been votes taken by PDC and its URAC's that have had voters that have directly, financially benefited from their votes. This is a criminal offense and it should be more than just a fine and a slap on the wrist, if you can even get that.

There has been a filing for review of possible corruption with the FBI, and it should include our state Attorney General efforts.

I find more than a few things about the report troubling. For starters:

Myers' perceived danger of pro se litigants filing meritless claims and liens. I heard from an acquaintance who works at a county law library that the sheriff's department there circulated a list of dangerous and mentally unstable pro se litigants-or words to that effect.
Is that what is really happening? Maybe not. Maybe these guys are covering up for their friends shenanigans and calling citizen's efforts to be heard "meritless".

Let's say you are a victim of legal racketeering: a couple of lawyers, a judge and a cop or two concocted a scheme to use the court system to rip you off. You may find yourself with few rescources and a claim that is shunned by the legal community. Representing yourself may seem like the only alternative. I have seen some of these situations, probably posted about them here. And I have seen that Hardy har har won't investigate. The argument you often find coming out of the office is that the Separation of Powers doctrine prevents it. Pretty cockeyed interpretation, I would say.
There may be some weirdoes in the pro se movement, some people who are truly nuts, and some crooks, but,hey, you are going to find all that in the legal community, too.

Something else that troubles me is all the hype about environmental and animal rights "terrorism". Arson, and burglary are already crimes. Punishing ideology is pretty darned scary, imo. Particualry when there is a real danger an activist/reformer could be labelled a terrorist. We are already seeing attempts at this in our animal shelter reform movement here. When you think about what is happening to Habeus, then it just goes beyond frightening.
If the newsmedia were not so apparently gullible, it could look at the underlying problems, like wheeler dealer developers and unethical medical researchers that accept stolen pets as research subjects, and figure out that these crimes are symptomatic of much deeper problems.

What a joke! Multiple paragraphs and sections devoted to 'Cigarette tax evasion' and the ever deadly marijuana use (it kills millions, you know!). Small little blurb about Political/Public organized crime with no specific findings.

I think Hinckley is correct to say that to lump "tobacco smuggling" with corruption and organized crime is ridiculous. I have just read an interesting novel on the subject (Rock Black 0-10 ISBN: ISBN 0-9552465-0-4)and the same point is made in a literary manner. Just who is profiting from this process of demonisation, I ask?

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 155
At this date last year: 241
Total run in 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269